Daring Bakers' July 2014 Challenge : Surprise Cake!

I just came back from South Carolina where I spent a few days. It was a pleasure to eat in the restaurants with an oceanfront dining. I have a good address in Garden City : Conch Cafe... Enjoy just an appetizer or a seafood entree and the view of the Atlantic Ocean. Maybe you will have the chance to see fireworks when dining.

I am so glad to come back at home and present you the Daring Bakers' new challenge.

This month, Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make an exciting challenge. She asked us to prepare a surprise cake!

I didn't know what a Surprise Cake is.

It's simply a cake with a surprise inside!

There are a lot of techniques to make, design inside or fill the cake with candies, and a lot of food coloring to create a beautiful cake. I had a hard time choosing. Finally I decide to make a zebra cake!

I just made my traditional marble cake's recipe and use a technique to make a Zebra Cake, that's it!

Ingredients :

120 gr (1 stick) (4 oz) butter, softened

200 gr (7 oz) white sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

4 eggs

200 gr (7 oz) (1.6 cup) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 or 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder (natural unsweetened)

Directions :

Preheat the oven to 370 degree F. (180 degree C.)

Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) round pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

In a bowl mix sugar and butter by hand. Then add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.Alternately add the flour and the milk to the batter, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the baking powder.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Blend the eggs into the mixture with a wooden spoon.

Remove the half of the batter and place into a separate bowl.

To the remaining batter, stir in the powder chocolate.

Directly into the center of the pan, place 1 big tablespoon of chocolate batter, and one big tablespoon of white batter. Repeat chocolat/white batter additions until the batter is used up or pans are 2/3 full.

Place pan into oven and bake for 40-45 mn or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.